Michael Bisping on Cris Cyborg: ‘The reality is she’s just too big for that weight’

TORRANCE, Calif. — Michael Bisping doesn’t train with Cris Cyborg directly. They don’t get in the ring and spar, nor do they talk all that often.

But Bisping and Cyborg do train at the same gym, RVCA in Costa Mesa, Calif. And they share the same boxing coach in Jason Parillo.

Bisping said Cyborg’s weight cut has been a bit of a hot topic at RVCA in the last few weeks, much like it has been a controversial storyline this week in Brazil as she attempts to make 140 pounds.

Cyborg walks around at nearly 170 pounds. Bisping said she was running 10 miles every single day — six in the morning and four in the evening — to get weight off before the water cut even began. The UFC middleweight champion isn’t sure if 140 is a realistic goal for her on the regular because of her size.

“She’s been doing everything she can to make the weight,” Bisping said Thursday at a UFC 204 gym day here at UFC Gym. “I think the reality is she’s just too big for that weight. But according to Jason Parillo, she will make the weight. She’ll do what’s necessary and she’ll get it done. If she does, god bless her. Good for her.”

Cyborg, 31, will weigh-in Friday morning for her main event fight against Lina Lansberg at UFC Fight Night 95 on Saturday night in Brasilia. She typically fights for outside organizations at 145 pounds, but the UFC does not have a division at 145 for women, so it wants her to make 140. The highest it goes is 135.

Cyborg said Monday that she was still 24 pounds over the limit, which raised questions about why the UFC is making someone lose so much weight for a fight that doesn’t really count ….View full article